Bible: Ezekiel 16:1-15

God’s Unfaithful Bride

16:1The wordof the Lordcame tome:16:2“Sonof man, confrontJerusalem1with her abominable practices16:3and say, ‘This is whatthe sovereignLordsays to Jerusalem: Your originand your birthwere in the landof the Canaanites; your fatherwas an Amoriteand your mothera Hittite.16:4As for your birth, on the dayyou were bornyour umbilical cordwas notcut, norwere you washedin water;2you were certainly notrubbed downwith salt, norwrappedwith blankets.316:5Noeyetook pityonyou to doeven oneof thesethings for you to spareyou;4 you were thrown outintothe openfield5because you were detestedon the dayyou were born.

16:6 “‘I passedby you and sawyou kicking around helplesslyin your blood. I saidto you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” I saidto you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!”616:7I madeyou plentifullike sproutsin a field; you grewtalland cameof age so thatyou could wear jewelry. Your breastshad formedand your hairhad grown, but youwere still nakedand bare.

16:8 “‘Then I passedby you and watchedyou, noticing7 thatyou had reached the age for love.8 I spreadmy cloak9overyou and coveredyour nakedness. I swore a solemnoath to you and enteredinto a marriage covenantwithyou, declaresthe sovereignLord, and you becamemine.